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How many Americans were killed and wounded in the Battle of Okinawa?
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Battle of Okinawa
U.S. Marines battling for control of a ridge near Naha, Okinawa, May 1945.
During the Battle of Okinawa, which was one of the bloodiest campaigns of the Pacific War, American forces suffered significant casualties. Total U.S. casualties for the campaign, including naval and air units, included approximately 12,000 killed and 36,000 wounded.12
Of the 12,281 Americans reported killed during the campaign, the breakdown by branch is as follows:
- U.S. Navy: 4,907 killed2
- U.S. Army: 4,582 killed2
- U.S. Marines: 2,792 killed2
The high number of naval casualties was largely attributed to the intense kamikaze attacks directed at the U.S. fleet.2